Once you’ve worked with computers for even a moderate amount of time, there’s one thing that you’ll notice time and time again – Software never works correctly the first around. If you were to buy a car from Audi, you wouldn’t expect to have to take [...]]]>

Once you’ve worked with computers for even a moderate amount of time, there’s one thing that you’ll notice time and time again – Software never works correctly the first around. If you were to buy a car from Audi, you wouldn’t expect to have to take it back to the garage every couple of months to have it updated for numerous glitches, for example to stop a bug that makes the car become unstable when used in conjunction with a certain type of stereo. Computers are a different kettle of fish however.

A typical version of Microsoft Windows when it is released contains tens of thousands of bugs, some of which they know about and some of which they are yet to discover. If they were to wait until every last one had been rectified then we’d be waiting for an eternity for the product to be released which is why dynamic updating has become so popular in todays Internet society.

The manufacturers of most computing products now make a list of any bugs and defects that have been discovered in their software since the launch date and set about correcting them. Once a solution to a particular problem has been discovered, the correction is often put onto their website for members of the public to download for free.

Microsoft is probably the best example of a company that uses such a piece of technology. If you connect to the Internet and then open up Internet Explorer in the usual way then do the following: Go to ‘Tools’ and then ‘Windows Update’, after a short delay a web page will appear, now click on ‘Scan for updates’ and Internet Explorer will now go off looking for specific updates for your computer to fix known issues that have been discovered. After a minute or so, you should now select any updates that you wish to apply (if you have free Internet access then I suggest you download them all) and then click download. They will all now install onto your machine automatically, and who knows, that annoying glitch you’ve been experiencing for a while may be a widely documented problem that Microsoft corrected a long time ago.

Microsoft Office can be updated in the same way by clicking on ‘Office Update’ on the web page that first appears. Probably the best thing about both of these updates is that no information is sent to Microsoft whatsoever and so they are unable to determine anything about your computer or any personal information. Even if you are not experiencing any difficulties then I suggest you still update your machine anyway as there may be a potentially serious problem of which you are currently unaware (an Internet security vulnerability, for example).

Other, non-Microsoft software can benefit from these kinds of updates as well. For example, the Norton range of products use a program called ‘Live Update’ which does pretty much the same thing.

In addition, if you have any form of Anti-Virus software then I suggest you update this every month or so that your computer can detect the newest viruses that are continually being released. Even if the program in question doesn’t have an update program then try going to the manufactures website and having a look around to see if you can spot anything to update your software.

Finally, hardware devices (e.g. scanner, graphics card, modem etc.) are the things that benefit most from having their controlling software (known as a driver) updated. A driver is a program that lets the computer know how to control a piece of hardware that is interfacing with it; imagine it like your dad giving you instructions on how to use your legs to walk or how to use your arms to throw a ball when you were a kid. Without a driver, you could have the printer quite happily connected to your computer although the machine wouldn’t have a clue how to even start using it. The easiest way to go about updating these drivers, which will allow your hardware to run with more stability and often at a greater speed is to find out who makes individual components of your computer and their particular model numbers (the people you bought it off will be able to tell you). Once again, you can now go surfing the websites of these manufacturers looking for the updated software or head to www.driverguide.com.

To summarise, don’t underestimate how much of a change can be gained from updating all the software on your computer. Last year, when I used to live back in Devon I’d often take a customers hardware away for a couple of hours and update all the drivers and software over the Internet and if they’d never done it before, the resultant increase in stability and speed was staggering for something that you could do completely free of charge. Updating isn’t for the light-hearted however, so if in doubt please read a more detailed guide from the Internet or write in and I’ll do a more detailed follow-up in the forthcoming weeks.

]]> http://www.computerarticles.co.uk/keeping-your-computer-up-to-date/feed/ 0 http://www.computerarticles.co.uk/microsoft-plus-for-windows-xp-2/ http://www.computerarticles.co.uk/microsoft-plus-for-windows-xp-2/#comments Sat, 15 Dec 2001 14:50:38 +0000 admin http://www.computerarticles.co.uk/?p=189

This week I will again answer some of the mail that I have been receiving recently in the hope that it will resolve a number of problems that my readers have been having.

In the past I have successfully used a Kodak C.D. [...]]]>

This week I will again answer some of the mail that I have been receiving recently in the hope that it will resolve a number of problems that my readers have been having.

In the past I have successfully used a Kodak C.D. ROM to view or send my pictures via e-mail although I am not very good at computing – In fact, rather green! Here is my problem; When I put in the Kodak C.D. ROM and click ‘Start’, ‘Programs’, ‘Kodak picture C.D’ then ‘Kodak Picture C.D. Volume 4, issue 1’ then the message ‘Insufficient space on system disk comes up on screen. Because of this, I have reduced the number of programs on the computer but I’m still having no luck – Please advise exactly what I should be doing.

Clearing all that is on screen and going back to the beginning I have an icon, ‘Kodak C.D. Q’ showing – I have tried right clicking on this & on open which causes icons to come up for each individual photograph. If I then click on them separately the picture loads up although I have no way of e-mailing it. I would really like to get rid of this as I have tried ‘dragging’ icon to delete it and it comes up with something along the lines of ‘004_1 access is denied. Make sure disk is not full or write protected and the file is not in current use’.

I am completely flummoxed by all this & really would appreciate any suggestions because as I previously said I am not to good at this sort of thing and so I must have clicked something I shouldn’t have! I love to read your column in the Herald Express and have picked up a few little tips over the last year.

Mary Eveleigh, Brixham.

The problem that you are experiencing with the program coming up saying the message ‘Insufficient space on system disk’ can in my mind be caused by a number of things but I’ll print the most likely ones below based on the information you’ve given me:

1) Your hard disk genuinely has no free space on it. Go into my computer and click on ‘Drive C’ and check that you have a reasonable amount of space free (500Mb or so should be enough)

2) Your hard drive has an error on it that causes it to incorrectly report the space free on the hard drive to all programs including Windows. Therefore, it doesn’t matter how many programs you delete, the amount of free space reported may still be too low. To remedy this, start and run Scandisk by going to ‘Start’, ‘Run’ and type in ‘Scandisk’

3) The program is somehow set to try and store its files onto the CD-ROM drive – Since CD disks are usually considered read-only this means that the program is trying to put any pictures or temporary files onto the CD-disk which will have 0Mb free. Try to discover whether the program has an option that could change the default drive back to the hard drive.

4) The program could simply have a corrupt installation – Try deleting the program off your hard drive (using Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel) and then re-installing it.

I think one of the above should sort out this problem, and so a solution to your second problem shouldn’t be necessary as you will not need to use any alternative routes any more. I will however still explain what was happening for your own interest and for future reference:

I believe that you are opening files straight off the CD and then trying delete them straight from the and so, as explained above, it is impossible to delete from a CD-ROM. If you ever get a ‘Access denied’ message when you try and delete a file, always check to ensure that you’re not trying to delete one from a CD-ROM or a write protected floppy disk. As I have limited information from what you’ve given me on which to make a hypothesis this is the most likely scenario, however if the files are in fact stored on the hard drive and you still can’t delete them then in this case I would run Scandisk to ensure that everything is okay with your hard disk in the same method as described in method 3 above. Also ensure that you don’t have two copies of the same file open and that the file isn’t set as read only.

I was wondering if you could advise of any good Dreamweaver courses as it is so much easier to pick up the details if actually taught.  Following your advice I have the free download and a text book but it is not easy to get beyond the basics. Any advice would be useful – Excellent series!

Colin Vosper, via e-mail.

I think that you should contact local colleges and ask about any courses they do in HTML programming as, obviously if you would prefer to be taught rather than pick the program up through self tuition then this could be your only option. In regards to which colleges to contact, go to my section of the Herald Express Website (www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk) and download the three part article that I did some time ago regarding teaching resources available in the South West. If any of my readers cannot locate this tutorial then please e-mail me and I’ll send it along by return.

Whenever Microsoft release a new operating system, it is customary for them to release a package known as ‘Plus’ along side its release which adds a number of small extras. With the recent release of Windows XP this tradition has continued with the launch of ‘Microsoft Plus for Windows XP’.

Over the past 14 weeks, we have explored how to access the Internet and accomplishing many useful tasks using your home PC. This is all very well, but should you wish to work on the move, you are restricted to just a few options: First off, laptop computers. These are [...]]]>

Over the past 14 weeks, we have explored how to access the Internet and accomplishing many useful tasks using your home PC. This is all very well, but should you wish to work on the move, you are restricted to just a few options: First off, laptop computers. These are reducing in size almost daily, they allow you to perfectly emulate your home PC, unfortunately their battery life is usually too short for long journeys and they still weigh in at around 2½ kilos. The second option is a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), until recently these have been quite primitive and related very little to the PC you would have been using at home, however a new breed of these PDA’s make use of the improving technology in colour displays, handwriting recognition and the Operating System on the device.

For the last couple of weeks, the guys at The Carphone Warehouse have loaned me possibly one of the most state of the art PDA’s on the market, the Compaq iPAQ H3630 for me to play around with and test for review in Click.

The machine is soon ready for use straight out the box. After reading the quick start guide included, I discovered how to activate the iPAQ and then it was just a case of hitting the on button to get started as the machine was already fully charged. The colour screen lit up and an obvious Windows dialog box appeared asking me to check the settings so that the machine could be personalised, this only took around a minute and then I was allowed in to the main menu. As I stated above, the machine uses an Operating System very much like the version of Windows that you will find on your home PC, because somewhat unsurprisingly, the software that powers the iPAQ happens to be Microsoft Windows CE (Compact Edition). This means that many of you that have used a Windows machine before should have no problems getting the hang of this little device. The only stumbling point that I had was the lack of any real manual to accompany the machine to fully explain features like the handwriting recognition which take a bit of getting used to. This isn’t a major point, as help is available over the Internet, on the CD provided with the machine or through the help files loaded onto the Compaq iPAQ however it still would have been nice to have a comprehensive source of reference.

To look closer into the handwriting recognition, once explained the system becomes extremely easy to use; I wouldn’t like to write a novel using it, but then again, I wouldn’t want to write a novel using pen and paper either. For quick e-mails and letters it is perfect as it means that the machine doesn’t have to be unnecessary large to accommodate a QWERTY keyboard.

The iPAQ includes an Infra Red port that allows it to communicate wirelessly with another compatible device such as an Infra Red printer or a mobile phone if you want to get onto the Internet using the machine. This would be done by simply selecting connect and then your mobile will automatically dial up your Internet Provider and communicate the data effortlessly back to the PDA.

Other features include a Dictaphone for taking memos that can be stored on the machine or sent via e-mail. Should you wish to play back your memo, an extremely clear but small speaker is embedded in one of the larger control buttons. Additionally, to conserve battery power the backlight is automatically controlled by the PDA so that if you are in a light area it is deactivated, and in contrast if you enter a completely dark room, the backlight will be set to its maximum setting.

A cradle to attach to your home computer is provided in the package so that at any time the PDA can be docked and all information can be backed up off of it, or even information sent to it from the main computer. The cradle also acts as a charger.

Software included in the package consists of the standard Windows CD features such as solitaire, notepad, media player, calendar etc., but the system also includes the pocket versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet Explorer and Outlook.

To summarise, the main plus point for anybody who is thinking about buying this machine is, as you have probably gathered by now, its incredibly small size – To think that they have managed to construct a complete Windows CE machine equipped with all the features and technology that I have detailed above into a package that weighs just 170g and is around the same size as an empty wallet, is, to me simply amazing.

What is the downside? Well, the machine costs £449.99. This includes everything that I have detailed above such as the docking cradle. You also get a protective leather case and a tough plastic protective cover for your money – the package is comprehensive. This price however may be too high for people who may just be looking for an organiser. The Carphone Warehouse will however match prices off the Internet (conditions apply) and so I would suggest that if you are considering purchasing one that you try it out first in their store on Union Street, Torquay.

For the final instalment of this series of computer maintenance articles, I will be reviewing a program that claims do everything that I’ve explained over the last 4 weeks, more effectively and with greater simplicity that the programs that are bundled with Microsoft Windows. For the price of around £30 [...]]]>

For the final instalment of this series of computer maintenance articles, I will be reviewing a program that claims do everything that I’ve explained over the last 4 weeks, more effectively and with greater simplicity that the programs that are bundled with Microsoft Windows. For the price of around £30 you will get a copy of the program Norton Utilities 2001 – The latest in the Norton range, which, amongst other things includes improved versions of Microsoft Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter that we have covered in previous articles.

Before I elaborate on all the features of Norton Utilities, what exactly does Norton Utilities versions of Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter offer in comparison to their Microsoft Windows counterparts? Well for a start they’re faster and do a more thorough job than their Microsoft counterparts. Hopefully you’ve all taken my advice in previous articles on System Maintained and have had a chance to get to use both of the fore mentioned programs. You’ll know what I’m talking about then, when I say that I tend to find that the Norton versions of these programs don’t seem to restart as often whenever a file is saved to the hard drive or when there are a lot of programs running in memory.

Anyway, I digress. One of the most impressive features of this package is the Norton System Doctor; Just launch this program up and it goes about your computer looking for disk problems, fragmented files, missing program files and invalid parts of your Windows Operating System that can be repaired. All in all this will lead to you having a much more stable computer and will probably add a little bit of extra speed into the mix for good measure. After running Norton System Doctor, you would be wise to run another The Norton Optimisation Wizard – Another component of Norton Utilities.

As its name suggests, this program optimises your Windows files and therefore reduces the amount of time that you are waiting for your computer to load and run. Imagine it being very similar to the way that you would take your car to the garage to have its engine tuned. Even by themselves, these two programs, Norton System Doctor and Norton Optimisation Wizard should themselves be worth the £30 asking price. If you are willing to put aside 30 minutes a month to let them free on your computer, then you will find that your machine will become much more pleasant to use.

In addition to just preventive medicine, if the worst does happen and you have a problem booting up into Windows properly, there are a number of ways that Norton Utilities can help you out. First try getting into Windows Safe Mode and then using System Doctor as detailed above. With any luck, you will be able fix the problem that is preventing you from starting Windows properly. The program also has the option of creating a Rescue Disk, which could provide invaluable if you find that one day you are unable to start Windows at all – Not even in safe mode. The Rescue Disk will allow you to at least start your computer so you can attempt to diagnose the problem by following step by step on screen instructions.

This suite of programs also allows you to un-delete files that you mistakenly deleted. For example, if you have spent days doing a 10,000 word report and then you go and accidentally delete the file, chances are that Norton Un-Erase can restore it for you. In harsh comparison there is also a utility called ‘Wipe info’ which allows you to delete files way beyond recovery, so that if you were working with confidential information and didn’t want anybody to be able to recover the file after it was deleted then you could simply shred it.

In addition to all these extremely useful features there are also a number of smaller utilities that may appeal to certain users only, for example, an improved Windows registry editor, the ability to easily compare the properties of two different files and an improved version of the Recycle Bin.

All in all, taking into account the asking price, I would say that Norton Utilities is an extremely good buy for anybody that uses his or her computer a moderate to heavy amount. Obviously if you only ever write the odd letter using your computer then you probably wouldn’t get the use out of the program and therefore it would be hard for me to recommend it.